Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Life Gets Busy Sometimes

As most of you know, I work in an elementary school. I've been in various classrooms at various schools for years that number in the teens (15? 17?), I've taught computers and technology for 7 more on top of those, and I've had a couple years of two half-jobs combined to make one full-time one. I've worked with kids and I've also worked with the adults who teach them. Bottom line: I've been doing what I do for well over 20 years I even left it once and came back.

Just like I can't be one type of bicycle-rider, I'm also not one to sit in one job. Six years. That's about my max, then I need a change. I like education, mind you. I like the little goobers. I like professional development and working with staff. In the world that is elementary education, I've been lucky enough to find the job changes that keep my brain challenged.Next up: Old Lady School Librarian.

In our building, the time is ripe. Our current OLSL retires this June. The program is dying for an overhaul. I can't wait. It's what I do. I start this summer.

But between now and then I'm looking down the barrel of licensure. 7 semester credits between now and mid-May...three classes spanning two of my precious evenings (not to mention the time needed to get assignments done). More classes this summer and fall, then I get the piece of paper that says I'm licensed to do what I've already been doing part time for two years what, like people steeped in education can't possibly know how to teach themselves while on the job next to people in-the-know?

The first three classes?

Peter Pan Collars and Glasses on a String: How to Dress the Part

Leers, Glances and Pursed Lips: Getting Kids to Cower without using Words

We Can't Afford That: Making Dollars Disappear without Buying any New Materials

I can't wait!

Actually the programs these days aren't called Library Science anymore. It's Information Media -- a mixture of books and computers...everything from instructional design to digital video to literature to kids and research. Luckily I've got some of the work under my belt from past certificates..but at 45 I can think of plenty of good things to do in my off-hours besides sit in a square room with desks.

I do that all day!

- Old Librarian Bag

By the way, I sure hope you're not just stopping by TOB in any old random fashion...while it doesn't bother me, you may get tired of reading the same old post for days on end until I get a new one up -- try an RSS feed!

17 comments:

Don't worry, I would guess most of us regulars have the patience to hang on to find out what you have been up to. We all know that you have been up to something!!

Congratulations on the new position. I believe the kids at that school are in for a great library media experience (that is if you can pass "Leers, Glances and Pursed Lips" I hope the classes aren't too painful.

oooooo Librarians are the new cool, holders of freedom, stackers of rights (not slackers), pen wielding, key punchers of access, noble causes left and right, and a lot of work.... how do they keep everything in its place? I can't even find my socks...

Congratulations! What a great job. I don't have a great memory of all of my teachers in elementary school. But I remember our librarian. She could be really terse sometimes, but she was the one who taught me how to work the projector so I could trace giant dragons on the wall. She also introduced me to American Girl books before they were even cool (were they ever cool?)

Do librarians take confessions? Now that I "know" one, I'd like to apologize for the things we did to "Dewey" Davis, the hopelessly homely, near-sighted and long-suffering librarian that worked at my high school.

When several of us would each grab half a shelf of books and then run around randomly sticking them back into the various holes we created ... well, that was wrong.

And when we used squirt guns to send high, arcing sprays of water onto her head and shoulders, and then convinced her the ceiling (which she could barely see) was leaking, that was ... well, funny as hell actually, because it was a sunny day. But it probably wasn't very nice.